April 2020

COVID 19 lockdown has been extended by 2 more weeks to reduce the virus spreading and most of us are feeling the stress. Now more than ever most people are finding it hard to stop eating. Social distancing is not helping either, I totally get it. Keeping track of what you eat and what to eat requires a different approach.

As recently described by the World Health Organization (WHO), fear, anxiety, and uncertainty about the disease itself is co-occurring with requirements for social distancing and increasingly difficult economic realities with an unknown trajectory. As such, helping people through the COVID 19 pandemic is not just about helping them stay safe physically—it is also about helping them maintain mental and emotional health.

First things first, there is a huge difference between physical hunger and emotional hunger. Most of the time we think we are hungry but are just bored, anxious, stressed, and trying to distract ourselves with food from those uncomfortable emotions. Physical hunger means you eat when our body signals to us that we are actually hungry. Ask yourself these simple questions?

• When was the last time I had a meal or snack?

Chances if it’s in 2 to 3 hours after a meal it’s very unlikely you are physically hungry. 

• I’m I really hungry or thirsty?

Most likely if you not physically hungry is you are thirsty. Most people mistake physical hunger to be thirsty. Drink lots of water at least 2 litres a day to make sure you are hydrated throughout the day. 

• Is my body showing any signs of hunger?

Is your stomach grumbling, feeling light-headed, low energy, etc. Most likely we are physically hungry. 

• How many times did I eat today? 

One vital factor is to keep your meal count, all many meals and snacks in between. 

• What I’m I craving?

Food cravings can be so intense, that irresistible to eat. Foods high in sugar and carbs most of the time cause cravings and they can be difficult to control. Stress is also one of the leading factors in cravings, finding a way to reduce stress may help eliminate cravings e.g. exercise, yoga, etc.

• I’m I bored or eating for comfort? 

Find ways to comfort yourself that don’t involve food (engage in a hobby, self-care regimen, meditate, spend time with loved ones, read a book, etc.) If you can learn to listen to your body, you will forever be freed from being a slave to food.

Most people who are dieting cut back on calories, but calorie restriction can cause more physical hunger. Completely ignoring cravings can have negative consequences, so it may be a good idea to plan times to eat otherwise restricted foods. This may look like a cheat day or an after-work treat, depending on a person’s dietary needs. Sticking to a restrictive diet and ignoring cravings may be easier if a person has a planned indulgence to look forward to.

Bottom line

As the COVID-19 lockdown continues most of us are feeling increasingly stressed, which often leads to emotional eating. Many of us have struggled with emotional eating and have learned to break free from the cycle to create a happy and healthy relationship around food.  Use these above tips to come up with your own plan to help you identify the difference between emotional and physical hunger so that you can lose weight, have more energy, and develop healthy habits around eating. A dietician or personal trainer can help a person to develop a healthy diet plan that reduces cravings and associated stress.

COVID-19 looks like it is going to be around for a while, as the number of cases continues to go up. Gyms, restaurants, schools, and more businesses are closed for weeks or more. It looks like staying home will be the new normal, avoiding public places and contact with many people.

Figuring out “What’s for dinner?” can be yet another daily challenge.

To make things even harder, panic buying and disruptions to food supply systems mean some foods can now be difficult to find in the Country.  And for many people, unemployment and lost income are making food shopping an additional financial challenge. This is already a problem for people who attend events and socialize. For those trying to stay calm and boost their immune system, staying at home poses challenges:  eating healthy may require new routines

Healthy eating tips

Good nutrition and hydration are vital. People who eat a well-balanced diet tend to be healthier with stronger immune systems and a lower risk of chronic illnesses and infectious diseases. So you should eat a variety of fresh and unprocessed foods every day to get the vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, protein, and antioxidants your body needs. Drink enough water. Avoid sugar, fat, and salt to significantly lower your risk of overweight, obesity, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.

Eat fresh and unprocessed foods every day

Eat fruits, vegetables (e.g. spinach, beans, mixed veggies  ), nuts, and whole grains (e.g. unprocessed, oats, wheat, brown rice, or starchy tubers such as potato, sweet potato, and protein from animal sources (e.g. meat, fish, eggs, and milk).

Daily, eat at least  (2 – 4 servings) of fruit, 2.5 cups of vegetables (5 servings), (red meat can be eaten 3−4 times per week, and poultry 3−5 times per week).

For snacks, choose raw vegetables and fresh fruit rather than foods that are high in sugar, fat, or salt.

Do not overcook vegetables as this can lead to the loss of important nutrients.

When using canned or dried vegetables and fruit, choose varieties without added salt or sugar.

Drink enough water every day

Water is essential for life. It transports nutrients and compounds in blood, regulates your body temperature, gets rid of waste, and lubricates and cushions joints.

Drink at least 2 liters of water every day.

Water is the best choice, but you can also consume other drinks, fruits, and vegetables that contain water, for example, lemon juice (diluted in water and unsweetened), tea, and coffee. But be careful not to consume too much caffeine, and avoid sweetened fruit juices, syrups, fruit juice concentrates, fizzy, and still drinks as they all contain sugar.

Eat moderate amounts of fat and oil

Consume unsaturated fats (e.g. found in fish, avocado, nuts, olive oil, soy, canola, sunflower, and corn oils) rather than saturated fats (e.g. found in fatty meat, butter, palm, and coconut oils, cream, cheese, ghee, and lard).

Choose white meat (e.g. poultry) and fish, which are generally low in fat, rather than red meat.

Avoid processed meats because they are high in fat and salt.

Where possible, opt for low-fat or reduced-fat versions of milk and dairy products.

Avoid industrially-produced trans fats. These are often found in processed food, fast food, snack food, fried food, frozen pizza, pies, cookies, margarine, and spreads.

Eat less salt and sugar

When cooking and preparing food, limit the amount of salt and high-sodium condiments (e.g. soy sauce and fish sauce).

Limit your daily salt intake to less than 5 g (approximately 1 teaspoon), and use coarse sea salt 

Avoid foods (e.g. snacks) that are high in salt and sugar.

Limit your intake of soft drinks or sodas and other drinks that are high in sugar (e.g. fruit juices, fruit juice concentrates and syrups, flavoured milk, and yogurt drinks).

Choose fresh fruits instead of sweet snacks such as cookies, cakes, and chocolate.

Counseling and psycho-social support

While proper nutrition and hydration improve health and immunity, they are not magic bullets. People living with chronic illnesses who have suspected or confirmed COVID-19 may need support with their mental health and diet to ensure they keep in good health. Seek counseling and psycho-social support from appropriately trained health care professionals and also community-based lay and peer counselors.

Bottom line 

Staying at home during the COVID-19 pandemic is challenging for everyone, and the increased anxiety (and boredom) can cause people to abandon their healthy eating intentions and snack on whatever is around. But with a little thought and planning, you can continue to make good food choices and maybe even boost your mood and immune system.